


because it would be a waste

by ConvenientAlias



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Asphyxiation, Canon-Typical Violence, Captivity, F/F, Imprisonment, Prisoner of War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-11
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-08-21 21:13:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16584296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConvenientAlias/pseuds/ConvenientAlias
Summary: Azula goes to visit the waterbending rebel Katara because she hears she is dying.





	because it would be a waste

**Author's Note:**

  * For [keircatenation](https://archiveofourown.org/users/keircatenation/gifts).



Azula goes to visit the waterbending rebel Katara because she hears she is dying.

Generally speaking, it is not very important to a Firelord when a prisoner dies. Prison systems being what they are—and mortality being what it is, for that matter—it’s bound to happen from time to time. But Katara is…

Well, Katara is something of a special case.

For one thing, Azula really would like to capture all of the Avatar’s inner circle. It’s something of a personal goal; and killing them off in battle, she wouldn’t mind, but once she’s captured one, it seems careless to lose them this way. For another, Katara is known to be the last waterbender of the South, which makes her interesting. So there are very objective reasons Azula would prefer Katara not to die.

When she arrives at Katara’s cell, Katara is curled up in a corner. The cell’s air is arid and hot. There is no sweat on Katara’s skin, and when she speaks, it is with dry lips. “Azula.”

“Firelord Azula to you.”

Katara slowly smirks. She does not have the energy to stand, but it seems she’ll always have enough motivation to rebel. “I don’t think so. I don’t owe a tyrant any respect.”

She has been like this since she was first captured—and before, probably, but Azula didn’t know her then. But on the day she was first dragged before Azula, she first spit a stream of insults at her and then bent water out of the soil of a potted tree in the throne room and sent it spiking towards Azula’s face, needle-sharp and aimed at her eyes. Azula evaporated it before it could get there and responded to the insults with calm dismissal. Still, it made her heart jump. This is why she keeps Katara very carefully confined.

Which has brought them to their current situation.

“You can cut the tough act,” Azula says. “I know you’re dying. You’ve had the medics visit you.”

“I wouldn’t respect you with my last breath,” Katara pants.

“Yes, well, that could be very soon, or it could be delayed.” Azula inspects her nails, trying to project how little she cares. Because really, why should she care? “I assume you have a preference.”

“What are you suggesting?”

“I can give you more water,” Azula says, “and lower the heat on your cell. If you give me your promise not to use your waterbending to attempt escape.”

Katara says, “No.”

“You can’t make that promise?”

“I will never stop fighting you.”

Azula sighs. But she is prepared for this. She says, “You can make things easier for yourself…or harder on others.”

Katara squints with hazy eyes. “What does that mean?”

And Azula takes out a very useful token that her troops obtained only a few weeks ago in battle. “Do you recognize this?”

It’s a white necklace, made out of cloth. The type worn by a Water Tribe man or boy. It’s common knowledge that all Water Tribe women’s necklaces are unique, handmade, but the same is true of the white bands their men wear too. Their art is less obvious, but still unique.

Katara obviously recognizes this one. Her eyes widen.

“If you refuse, and would rather die, I can make things very difficult for your brother,” Azula says softly. “Our troops captured him just recently. He’s not a bender, so I have little interest in him. Not like my interest in you.”

Maybe at her best Katara would recognize the trick, demand more evidence. But she is half-delirious, hardly at her best. She starts ranting at Azula about how evil she is. Azula laughs until she finally stops.

“You should be grateful I’m giving you this chance,” Azula says. “I know a Water Tribe warrior is good for their word. Swear you won’t try to escape, and I’ll save you, and spare your brother.”

Katara hesitates for a long moment. Her eyes close, and Azula realizes she is losing focus.

“Katara!”

Katara’s eyes blink open. Her mouth quirks into a small smile. “When did you learn my name?”

“I will have your oath or you will see the consequences.”

Katara puts a hand on her own necklace, touching the charm in the middle. “…I swear.”

Azula figures that’s good enough. She tells the guards to give Katara more water and put out the fires in this area of the prison that keep it so hot. And she sends a medic down to check up on her daily.

* * *

 

The medic sends Azula regular reports. When she hears Katara is mostly better, some weeks later, she goes down again.

A couple weeks’ interval should be enough, she tells herself. Though it feels odd to visit the prison this often. The prison is where you toss people you don’t want to see again, mostly. She hasn’t visited Mai and Ty Lee once since they defied her at the Boiling Rock, and she doesn’t plan to.

Katara is standing when Azula enters, hands on the bars of her cell. Despite this, she seems less defiant than last time. She still stares straight into Azula’s eyes, but there is less wild anger there than before.

“Your health seems to have improved,” Azula says. Because she does look better. Her skin is less pale, her eyes are clear. She is still perhaps a bit thinner than is healthy and smells like…well, like prison…but overall, she isn’t on the point of death. Azula crosses her arms. “You should thank me.”

“Thank you very much,” Katara bites out, “for holding me prison in such terrible conditions that I nearly died.”

Azula shrugs. It’s rude, but it’s still a concession. “You’re welcome.”

“What did you do with Sokka?”

Right, that lie. “Is that his name?”

Katara crosses her arms, mirroring Azula. “You know my name.”

“Yes, well, you’re a talented bender responsible for many missions failing, for protecting the Avatar, and considerably damaging the Fire Nation,” Azula says. “Your brother is a nonbending idiot.”

“You don’t know anything about him.”

“Do you _want_ me to be interested in him?” Azula asks.

Katara bites her lip. “What did you do with him?”

“Imprisoned him much the same as anybody else. Slightly higher surveillance. He did arrange a prison escape one time—and anyone close to the Avatar might well inspire a rescue attempt.” Azula smiles. “Speaking of which, how do you feel about the fact that nobody has tried to rescue you?”

“They’ll come for me,” Katara says, “when you least expect it. And they’ll come for you too.”

Azula laughs. “Well, it’s good to see you’re feeling better. And you certainly have your spirit back.”

“Don’t get too comfortable.”

Azula’s never comfortable. She’s always on guard. If there’s one thing being her father’s daughter taught her, it’s that she’s never, ever safe.

But oddly, she leaves the conversation feeling relaxed. Stupidly relaxed. It’s good to see Katara in good health—the early reports from the medic had left her anxious every time. But now Katara seems quite well. She shouldn’t be this happy about a prisoner’s recovery, of course, but she reassures herself that it’s just that she wouldn’t want invested efforts to be wasted. Besides, Katara’s banter is amusing, coming from a bird in a cage.

* * *

 

But apparently she should follow Katara’s advice more closely, because less than two weeks later, she wakes up with something sharp against her throat and a harsh pair of Water Tribe eyes looking into her own.

“Katara,” she hisses, once she’s caught her breath, “are you stupid?”

“You lied to me about my brother,” Katara says. “I overheard the guards. Laughing about it.” She leans right up in Azula’s face and growls, “My oath to you is void.”

The sharp thing on Azula’s throat is a shard of ice. Katara flicks it into water and it covers Azula’s mouth and nose, shoving its way in, making her gag and choke. _Focus on your inner fire, Azula_. She reaches in and finds the lightning and bends.

The lightning racks Katara’s body, and while she flails, Azula shoves her off. She coughs the water out of her throat and lungs, heaving until she vomits on the floor. By the time she’s recovered, so has Katara. They stare at each other, only a few feet separating them. Lightning crackles between Azula’s fingers and then she suddenly feels it fading. Against her will, her arms twist behind her back. She tries to scream, belatedly realizing she should call for help, but can’t.

Katara says, “Your reports didn’t tell you about the blood-bending?”

Azula can’t answer. She can breathe, but just barely. Her pulse rushes in her ears.

“I can see why it didn’t get back to you,” Katara says. “I don’t use it often. Only on people who have done really terrible things.” She steps closer. “Only on monsters.”

They are face to face again, Katara close enough for a kiss. Azula thinks of the day she followed the guards down to lock Katara in her cell, saw this face pressed against bars. The same harsh determination when she has the upper hand as when she’s been beaten down.

Father will be disappointed in her, but it’s a distant thought. Right now all she can think about is this waterbender, who should be nothing but another prisoner, another defeated enemy, who is right now the center of her world. She should feel outraged but she doesn’t. Katara is a worthy enemy, she thinks. It’s all right if this is how it ends. At least Katara looks her in the eyes.

“You didn’t kill me,” Katara says. “Was it a point of pride for you?”

She finds she can speak, but she sees no reason to satisfy the waterbender’s curiosity. “I wasn’t afraid to kill, if that’s what you’re wondering,” she rasps. “Are you?”

For a moment she can’t breathe. She doesn’t know if it’s because Katara has stopped her heart or because of her own panic. The world wavers in front of her, and Katara is the last thing she sees before it all goes black. The last thing she hears is that voice, speaking undecipherable words.

She wakes up to the sound of someone banging on her door, calling out her title and name. The window is open. She staggers to her feet and lets the guards in, and listens to their message of the waterbender wreaking havoc in the city. She doesn’t let them too far in and hopes they don’t notice her lack of composure.

“Well, stop her,” she says, when the report is finished. “And report back. I’ll be in the throne room.” She shuts the door, lights the room’s lamp with a snap of her fingers, and goes to find a robe.

Katara won’t be caught, of course. Azula feels that certainty in, well, her blood. If she can beat Azula she can beat anyone in the city, and she’s clever, too. She’ll make it out. The only question is why she risked it all by coming to see Azula if she didn’t mean to kill her. It’s a question with no real answer, but at the same time, it’s something Azula understands, just as she understands that even though Katara will surely escape, it is just as sure that they will meet again.

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this for a prompt of:  
> "Azula/Katara, set in a Bad Future AU where Azula is Fire Lord and Katara is her Favorite Prisoner."  
> Did I fill the prompt? uhhhhhhhh  
> honestly all my prompt fills lately have been very borderline BUT Katara was a prisoner and Azula was a Firelord so I'm just gonna go with yes!  
> Comments and kudos are very welcome! Or come talk to me on tumblr at convenientalias.


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